Railroad-rail and rail-josnt



(Nb Model.)

J. S. M0LE0D.

RAILBOADRAIL AND RAIL JOINT. 7 N0. 297,708. Patented Apr. 29 1884.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JOHN s. .MoLEOD, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILROAD-RAIL AND RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,708, dated April29, 1884.

' Application filed April 23.1w. (No model.)

.Massachnsetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Rails and Rail-Joints, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

'My invention relates to a compound rail wherein the tread and base areseparate.

The object of my invention is to produce a strong, safe, and durablerail capable of sustaining rough usage and wear, and which will notreadily break by the heaving of the track by the effects of frost, orsettling of the track as a result of thaws, &c., and which will alsopermit of the renewal of thetread or wearing part of the rail withoutmoving its flangeor base part.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a View in side elevation ofthe rail as put together. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the flange orbase part. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the line :0 as, Fig. 1.Fig. 4. is a plan.

view of two meeting flange or base parts with. the tread-rails inserted,the latter being shown in sectional plan.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respectivefigures.

A is the flange or base part, which may be rolled or constructed ofcheap iron or of steel or other suitable material. The part A rests onthe ties A, which are intermediate .of or between those ties adjacent tothe ends of the rail-sections. The part A is provided with vertical andparallel ribs a, formed on its upper surface and extending lengthwise,and of the desired height to form a recess, a. Each of said ribs isdiscontinued near one end of the base of the part A, but extends beyondthe other end of said part, the intention being to produce theconstruction shown at the respective ends of Fig. 4.

B is the tread-rail,which is made of steel or other suitable material,the web I of which is.

rolled or otherwise shaped to fit neatly within the recess a of theflange or base part A, the sides of the recess being made smooth toreceive it. The tread-rail B is designed to be capable of verticalmovement within the recess a. As

shown in Fig. 4, the adjacent or meeting ends of two of the rails Bbreak joints with the vertical ribs a of the parts A, so that inpractice a continuous rail with unbroken joints is formed.

Under the rails B is placed a continuous yielding cushion,-c, made ofpaperor itsequivalent,which eases the rail upon the impact of a movingtrain, adding greatly to the durability of the rail and to thecomfortlof travel. The cushion c,which is preferably made a nonconductorof electricity, may be extended around the web I), and between it andthe ad jacent surfaces of the flange or base part A, thus insulating therail and converting it into a means for electric conduction forsignaling or other purposes. The bolt-holes a in the web 1 b areelongated vertically, so that the Weight of the train may be broughtdirectly on the cushion 0 without straining the bolt a. The heads of thebolts are preferably square and tapered, fitting in countersunk holes ofcorre sponding shape, so as to be flush with the exterior of the riba,and to allow of the turning of the nut without. revolving the bolt.The bolts 11' should be provided with suitable nutlocks. The boltholesa. should be equidistantsay about two feet apart.

0 is a chair in which the meeting ends of the flange or base partsA andthe tread-rails B supported thereby rest, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Thechair is preferably provided with a lower strengthening-rib, d, whichextends longitudinally under the lapped rail-joint made between theparts A and B of the rail. The chair is provided at its respective sideswith ribs d tl., each of which has an overlapping flange, d. The flanged of the rib d rests directly upon the bottom flange or base of the partA,while the flange of the rib d clampsa key, d, driven in between theouter edge of the base of the part A and the inner side of the rib d,thereby securing the base part A firmly within the chair. The rib d ismade slightly tapering and the key tapered to allow of its being driven.

The construction of the chair and the function of its overlappingflanges d' and key d* are such as to maintain the rail in line andprevent settling or lifting of its ends. I prefer to make the chair longenough to rest on two ties,

chair is made short to rest on one tic only the in which case the rib?)is necessary; but if the rib may be omitted.

My invention admits of the use of a steel tread-rail at less cost thanwhere the entire rail is rolled with the tread and base in one piece,for the flange or base part here used with the tread-rail may be ofcommon and cheap iron, as also may the chair.

The compound rail forming my invention gives, it is believed, astronger, more levcl,and safer track than can be produced by otherdescriptions of rail, admitting of a higher rate of speed of trains andless liability to accident by imperfect condition of the track, brokenrails, &c. and also of the removal of any tread-rail when worn, and thesubstitution of anew rail without disturbing the parts secured to theties.

Having described my invention, I claim 1.Abase-plateforacompoundrailroad-rail, I

having vertical ribs or flanges on its upper face, one of said ribs orflanges being projected be yond and one set back from each of therespective ends of the plate, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. In a compound railroad-rail, a base-plate havin vertical ribs orflanges on its upper face, one of said ribs or flanges being projectedbeyond and one set back from each of the respeetive ends of the plate,combined with a tread-rail inserted between the ribs or flanges of thebase-plate, and having vertically-elongated bolt-holes in its web, and acushion inserted between the bottom of the tread-rail and thebase-plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

J OHN S. MCLEOD.

Vitnesses:

ALBERT I-I. BoUvi's, CHAS. P. GORELY.

